February 10th, 2009
So like hipsters, I was previously ambivalent toward unions. Sure, I’m part of a union, but it’s not like I have any choice. My alternative is to leave the union and still pay the dues. Fat lot of good that would do. And unions did bring us 40-hour work weeks and paid holidays and weekends, so they’re not all bad.
But then, like hipsters, someone ruined it for everyone. The former was my neighbour. The latter was their recent decision.
I mentioned in my last post that I had survived the layoffs. I thought I was in the clear because I was loved by my current and former bosses. But then the union struck. Apparently, if you’re inept and get laid off, you can bump someone else out of the way if you’ve been here longer. That someone else is me.
Yes, I am apparently about to be laid off. [EDIT: I was in fact laid off. I still have to decide if I want to steal someone else's job or not just as mine was stolen from me.] Not because my job is unnecessary. Not because I cannot perform my job. But because someone else couldn’t maintain their job. Meanwhile, I am surrounded by any number of inept people who have no risk of losing their jobs because they’ve managed to hide their ineptitude long enough to be virtually untouchable.
A brilliant business move. Maintain the incompetent at the cost of losing the abled. Both my current and former boss, who share me, are trying to think of ways to finagle the system. But the union is a behemoth who can’t be touched. And as a result there’s little recourse.
If I do find I get laid off for the simple reason of being the one with the least seniority in my position, I too have the option of bumping someone else lower than me. Menial work and a pay cut for the win! Huzzah.
What motivation does this provide anyone? “Oh, well I’m not the one with least seniority, so I can’t be touched no matter how bad I mess up.” What a dumb-assed plan.
I can safely say that this is what caused me to become anti-union. If there could be some middle ground between an unchecked plutocracy and the unindustrious union, I might give it another chance. But until then, I’m thumbing my nose at the whole thing.
I’m now more than ever entertaining the idea of going back to school. My problem lies in the fact I don’t know what I want to study or how I could apply that to a job. I don’t want to have a doctorate and be homeless. Sigh… I need direction.
I find out if my job still exists in the next day or so. I’m sure I’ll be back to let you know.
Cheers.
February 11th, 2009 at 08:04
ey… Don… I’m sorry about your job news. Your frustration with stupidly-run unions is shared by many. Like you said, they *can* work in your favor, but there’s almost always some idiotic side to every union.
Down with hipsters!!!
Hang in there… you’ll find your way out of this mess soon enough!
February 11th, 2009 at 13:57
Thanks friend. The fact that it’s so insanely unfair and there’s nothing anyone can do about it is what bothers me most.
I took a day off today to try and figure out what to do with my life. I’m thinking it might just be grad school. And despite the fact that I fear for the marketability of it, I’m thinking Anthro. I just hope I don’t have massive loans that I can’t repay when I’m living in a cardboard box on the side of the street.
At first I was thinking about working a crap job and going part-time. But I don’t know if that’s possible with the program I’m looking at. And I do prefer to devote all my energy to my studies. But that really does equal the massive loans.
Sigh. Maybe it’ll all make sense when we’re grown ups…
February 12th, 2009 at 05:41
I hear Villanova has a KILLER anthro program! Acutally, I heard nothing of the sort… but I’d be thrilled to have you back at the Mawr:)
“The boys” are familiar with this type of union policy. Evidently, “Bumping” people out of their jobs was pretty common practice for railroaders back in the day. For me, seems that after seeing how crazy it was in the beginning, someone might want to think about changing the policy to make it more… oh… I don’t know… LOGICAL?!?! Ooow… Don! Have you ever considered a career in social policy?!
February 12th, 2009 at 13:25
I would love to live near you guys again. Oh the fun we would have. But it’s too humid there in summer. You’re still welcome to move out here
My long years on this earth have taught me that logic rarely wins out. I figured out who’s replacing me… it’s worse than I thought. She really is inept. I took a class she taught and I knew more about the subject matter than she did.
Silver lining though, a position just opened up that I may have a shot at, and I have a very good “in”. I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but my current boss is excited that it could work. If it does, it would actually be a lot more interesting for me than my current job AND I could probably manipulate it to help me go to school. Cross your fingers!
February 16th, 2009 at 08:27
I’ll cross my fingers, toes, legs, and arms! Then I’ll braid my hair and drape rabbit feet all about the office! (hmm… I should probably reverse the order of all that to make things easier… but… it’ll be funnier to hobble around the office with furry little feet)
REALLY hope that works out for you!!!!!